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Seam metal roof panels could be a durable and energy-efficient replacement for traditional asphalt shingles on private, residential roofs, according to this article. The panels are expected to last between 40 and 50 years, considerably longer than the life span of asphalt shingles. The metal also allows for rainwater harvesting, installation of photovoltaic laminates or wind turbines, and it can be recycled, writes Christine Walsh.

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MAD Architects created a curved, tent-like roof on The Clover House, a kindergarten and home in Okazaki, Japan, made of asphalt shingles. A quarter of the roof is curved. It will be formed by building a triangular underlayer topped with a layer of wood paneling, followed by wood strips, a "soft finishing panel" and the shingles.

The demand for roofing materials is slated to grow 5.7% per year between 2010 and 2015, according to a forecast released by the Freedonia Group. The demand for asphalt shingles is expected to increase 7.3% yearly until 2015, and much of that will be for laminated asphalt shingles. "In the long term, increasing use of laminated shingles will constrain replacement demand, as these products can have lifespans more than twice that of conventional asphalt shingles," the group said.

Homeowners concerned about energy efficiency and sustainability have a number of roofing options open to them, including green roofs, cool roofs or even partially recycled, long-lasting metal roofs, in place of traditional asphalt shingles.

New solar products on the market, and under development, offer seamless solar roofing instead of traditional solar panels. Custom-Bolt Metals, based in California, sells Fusion Solar metal roofing with thin-film solar laminates. CertainTeed, based in Pennsylvania, plans to offer EnerGen asphalt shingles that incorporate thin-film solar laminates by the end of the year.

Oregon school districts turned to metal roofs to avoid replacing asphalt-shingle roofs every 15 years. However, 23 out of 24 schools with metal roofs reported roof failures, including many with leaks. Unlike built-up roofs, warranties on metal roofs only cover the metal and paint, and not the roof system.